Tahan
Tenteram
Tulus hati
Tekun
Tawakal
Bangkit hati
Bisa
Bersih
Bangun hati
Bangga
Bernas
Retak hati
Remuk
Redam
Ringkih hati
Runtuh
Rusak
Hampa hati
Habis
Hancur
Hilang hati
Hangus
Hitam
Terputus
tak tersisa lagi
untukku
Aliran hangat
yang memenuhiku dan dia
terputus tiba-tiba
terbuang sia-sia
Oleh gunting prasangka
Oleh jurang jalan hidup berbeda
Aliran hangat dua arah
nyatanya salah kaprah
walau di bibir dan di mata
manis dan elok katanya
Aliran hangatku
rupanya tak cukup
terasa pahit baginya
Terputus tiba-tiba
tak adil
sisa waktupun tiada
sedikit saja
tuk memperbaikinya
belum terlambat
Dari penuh
jadi hampa diriku
Sesuatu hancur
dalam diriku
Hancurlah sumber
energi jiwaku
Berkorban kehampaan
tapi ku tak rela
Mungkin ia juga rasa
hampa yang sama
Tak tersisa lagi
untuknya pula
Karena tak sadar
aku rela mati untuknya
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| Rating: | ★★★ |
| Category: | Movies |
| Genre: | Action & Adventure |
*If I knew you and you knew me;*
*If each of us could clearly see,*
*As with an inner sight divine,*
*The meanings of your heart and mine,*
*I'm sure that we would differ less*
*And clasp our hands in friendliness;*
*Our thoughts would pleasantly agree,*
*If I knew you and you knew me.* *- Nixon Waterman*
Say the name Barry White and you'd be hard pressed to follow it with the name of any other recording artist with such a huge, cross-sectional following. He was at home appearing on Soul Train, guesting with a full band on The Today Show, and appearing in cartoon form in various episodes of The Simpsons. During the '70s, Dinah Shore devoted a full hour of her daily syndicated Dinah! show to White. While there was a period where Barry White wasn't releasing records or making the pop charts, he did stay active touring and appearing on other artists' records including Quincy Jones' "The Secret Garden (The Seduction Suite)," Regina Belle, and rap star Big Daddy Kane's "All of Me." It's surprising to find out that such an illustrious career almost didn't happen because White wasn't interested in being a recording artist.
Born in Galveston, TX, Barry White grew up singing gospel songs with his mother and taught himself to play piano. Shortly after moving from Texas to South Central Los Angeles, White made his recording debut at the tender age of 11, playing piano on Jesse Belvin's "Goodnight My Love." He made his first record when he was 16 with a group called the Upfronts. The song was called "Little Girl" on a local L.A. label called Lummtone Records. Later he worked for various independent labels around Los Angeles, landing an A&R position with Bob Keane, the man responsible for the first pop recordings by Sam Cooke. One of his labels, Mustang, was hot at the time with a group called the Bobby Fuller Four in 1966. White was hired for 40 dollars a week to do A&R for Keane's family of labels: Del-Fi, Mustang and Bronco. During this time, White flirted with the idea of being a recording artist, making a record for Bronco called "All in the Run of a Day." But he chose to stick with his A&R duties. One of the first groups he worked with was the Versatiles who later changed their name to the 5th Dimension. White's first big hit came from an artist familiar to dancefloor denizens -- Viola Wills, whose "Lost Without the Love of My Guy" went Top 20 R&B. His salary went up to 60 dollars a week. White started working with the Bobby Fuller Four. Bob Keene and Larry Nunes -- who later became White's spiritual advisor and true friend -- wanted to cut a female act. White had heard about a singer named Felice Taylor. They had three hit records, "It May Be Winter Outside," "I'm Under the Influence of Love," and "I Feel Love Coming On." They were huge hits in England. White started making 400 dollars a week.
When Bronco went out of business, White began doing independent production. Those were some lean times for White. Veteran arranger Gene Page, who would later arrange or co-arrange White's hits, helped him out, giving him work and non-repayable loans. Then three years later, Paul Politti, who also worked at Bronco, contacted him to tell him that Larry Nunes was interested in starting a business with him. Nunes had started cutting tracks for a concept album he was working on. Meanwhile, White had started working with this girl group who hadn't done any singing professionally. They rehearsed for almost a year. White wrote "Walkin' in the Rain (With the One I Love)" with lyrics that were inspired by conversations with one of the singers, Glodean James (who would later become White's second wife). White christened the group Love Unlimited.
Larry Nunes took the record to Russ Regan, who was the head of the Uni label owned by MCA. Love Unlimited's From a Girl's Point of View became a million-seller. Soon after, Regan left Uni for 20th Century Records. Without Regan, White's relationship with Uni soured. With his relationship with Uni in chaos and Love Unlimited contract-bound with the label, White decided he needed to work with another act. He wanted to work with a male artist. He made three song demos of himself singing and playing the piano. Nunes heard them and insisted that he re-record and release them as a recording artist. They argued for days about it. Then he somehow convinced White to do it. White was still hesitating up to the time the label copy was made. He was going to use the name "White Heat," but the record became the first Barry White album. That first album was 1973's I've Got So Much to Give on 20th Century Records. It included the title track and "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby."
White got a release from Uni for Love Unlimited and they joined him over at 20th Century Records. Then he had a brainstorm for another concept album. He told Regan he wanted to do an instrumental album. Regan thought he had lost it. White wanted to call it the Love Unlimited Orchestra. The single, "Love's Theme," went to number one pop, was a million-seller, and was a smash all over the world. The song earned him a BMI award for over three million covers.
For the next five years, from 1974 to 1979, there was no stopping the Barry White Hit Train -- his own Stone Gon, Barry White Sings Love Songs for the One You Love ("It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me," "Playing Your Game Baby"), Let the Music Play (title track, "You See the Trouble with Me"), Just Another Way to Say I Love You ("I'll Do for You Anything You Want Me To," "Love Serenade"), The Man ("Your Sweetness Is My Weakness," "Sha La La Means I Love You," "September When We Met," a splendid cover of Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are"), and Love Unlimited's In Heat ("I Belong to You," "Move Me No Mountain," "Share a Little Love in Your Heart," and "Love's Theme," with lyrics). He also scored a soundtrack for the 20th Century Fox film The Together Brothers, enjoying a resurgence on home video.
His studio band included such luminaries as guitarists Ray Parker, Jr. (pre-Raydio, co-writer with White on "You See the Trouble With Me"), bassist Nathan East, Wah Wah Watson, David T. Walker, Dean Parks, Don Peake, bassist Wilton Felder of the Crusaders, Lee Ritenour, drummer Ed Greene, percussionist Gary Coleman, and later keyboardist Rahn Coleman. His hit streak seemed, well, unlimited. Then it all derailed. Russ Regan and another ally, Hosea Wilson, left 20th Century Records and White was left with management that he thought of in less than glowing terms.
White left after fulfilling his contract with two more album releases, Love Unlimited Orchestra's My Musical Bouquet and his own I Love to Sing the Songs I Sing. White signed a custom label deal with CBS Records. At the time it was touted as one of the biggest deals ever. He started a label called Unlimited Gold. The roster included White, Love Unlimited, the Love Unlimited Orchestra, Jack Perry, and a teenaged singer named Danny Pearson who charted with a song called "What's Your Sign Girl." He also did a duet album with Glodean James called Barry & Glodean. Aside from the gold album The Message Is Love, most of the albums weren't huge sellers. After eight Barry White albums, four Love Unlimited albums, four Love Unlimited Orchestra albums, constant touring, and dealing with the rigors of the music industry, White decided to take a break.
Then in 1992, White signed with A&M, releasing the albums The Man Is Back, The Right Night & Barry White, and Put Me in Your Mix (which contains a duet with Issac Hayes, "Dark and Lovely"). The Icon Is Love became his biggest-selling album since the '70s releases, going multi-platinum. It includes the platinum single "Pratice What You Preach." The production lineup includes Gerald Levert and Tony Nicholas, his godson Chuckii Booker, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and White and his longtime friend Jack Perry. While some later efforts buried his vocals in whiz-bang electronic effects, on The Icon Is Love, White's deep steam engine baritone pipes are upfront in the mix. Staying Power followed in 1999, showcased in the best tradition of soul music where the focus is the singer and the song. The album earned White two Grammys. White's career took him from the ghetto to international success with 106 gold and 41 platinum albums, 20 gold and ten platinum singles, with worldwide sales in excess of 100 million.
White, who suffered from hypertension and chronic high blood pressure, was hospitalized for kidney failure in September of 2002. He was undergoing dialysis treatment, but the combination of illnesses proved too much and he died July 4, 2003 at a West Hollywood hospital. By the time of his death, Barry White had achieved a near-universal acclaim and popularity that few artists achieve and even fewer within their own lifetime. ~ Ed Hogan & Wade Kergan, All Music Guide
Written by Ed Hogan
Albums:
Can't Get Enough (2004)
Let The Music Play (2003)
Barry White's Greatest Hits (2003)
Love Songs (2003)
Soul Seduction (2001)
Your Heart & Soul: The L... (2000)
The Ultimate Collection (2000)
Staying Power (1999)
Boss Soul: The Genius Of... (1998)
Just For You (1992)
Put Me In Your Mix (1991)
The Man Is Back (1989)
The Right Night & Barry ... (1987)
Dedicated (1983)
Change (1982)
Barry & Glodean (1981)
Beware! (1981)
Sheet Music (1980)
The Icon Is Love (1979)
The Message Is Love (1979)
Just Another Way To Say ... (1979)
I Love To Sing The Songs... (1979)
The Man (1978)
The Man (1978)
Barry White Sings For So... (1977)
Barry White Sings For So... (1977)
Is This Whatcha Wont? (1976)
Is This Whatcha Wont? (1976)
Barry White's Greatest Hits (1975)
Just Another Way To Say ... (1975)
White Gold (1974)
I've Got So Much To Give (1973)
Stone Gon' (1973)
Stone Gon' (1973)
Album Available on LAUNCHcast Rate Album
20th Century Masters: Mi... (2003)
The Ultimate Collection (2000)
The Very Best Of Barry W... (1998)
Golden Collection... (1998)
All-Time Greatest Hits (1995)
Back To Back: Their Grea... (1995)
Best Of 2 Super Artists ... (1992)
Just For You (1992)
Greatest Hits, Vol 2 (1981)
Greatest Hits (1975)
Album Available on LAUNCHcast Rate Album
Heart And Soul (2001)
Staying Power (1999)
Staying Power (Radio Edit) (1999)
Come On (1995)
Come On (1995)
Practice What You Preach (1994)
Practice What You Preach (1994)
Dark And Lovely (1992)
Put Me In Your Mix (1992)
From a
To a Swallow
By Andry Chang
Oh, where?
Where did you go?
Here no more
Like wind, you came and gone
Your graceful wings
Oh, how I miss you
Your heavenly sings
Why can’t I keep you?
Are my branches
Too thin and brittle?
Are my leaves
Too few to shelter?
Falling you fear
You seek stronger branches
Cold you fear
You prefer bountiful leaves
Yet, I’ll survive
And I’ll be wiser
Grow stronger with time
From the loneliness I bear
If you again need me
Fly back to me to stay
For you I’ll be here
Until time fades away
It’s
a real boring wedding party I’m invited into. I came a bit late, and
they already run out of food. The wedding singer is terrible, and I can
only help myself with a few cakes and a glass of water. If it’s not my
ex-classmate in High School’s wedding, I would have left for home at
once. But, my friend, the groom practically “begged” me to stay for the
photo session, so for the sake of our friendship I consented to stay.
“And
now, if there’s any bachelors or anyone among the guests who are young
and not married, please gather up because the ‘Bouquet Toss’ is about
to begin,” says the M.C. “And you know the catch. The lucky catcher MIGHT be the first to marry after Leah and Herman here.”
Aha,
excitement at last. Thank goodness I live in a country where men are
allowed to catch wedding bouquets; else it’ll be a total drag, seeing
only the girls having all the fun.
So
I move forward near the cake, and join a group of young men and women
already standing there, with their hopeful faces. And then the M.C.
talks again through the microphone, “Well, I guess there are so many
unmarried people here. To make things more interesting, the catcher of
this lovely bouquet will also get a gift: this beautiful diamond ring.
As this ring is designed for women, I must ask the gentlemen to leave
the group – unless he’s not sure about his gender.”
The M.C.’s
announcement is boo-ed by the men, and I among them. One by one, the
men leave the group and stand at the back just to watch. The women are,
of course, happier because they now have greater chances to catch the
bouquet now the tall, strong men are gone.
“Herman, Leah, stand with your backs to the audience and throw backwards, not forward!”
The M.C. completes all the irritation in this party. He’s really pretty good in making idiots out of people.
“Okay, girls, ready! Bride and groom, on three, toss the bouquet! One, two... three!”
The
bride and the groom toss the bouquet as high and as far as they can.
The bouquet flies to the back of the group and some hands catch it.
Then I see a commotion there, as though some people are fighting for
the bouquet. But eventually I see who gets it. It’s a man! The girls
are scolding at him.
One even mutters, “How shameless he is! He tripped me to get the bouquet!”
“He overpowered me! There’s no way I can beat him!”
The
master of ceremony then announces with an upset tone, “Well, mister. I
hope you’re satisfied now. You can go home with the bouquet stem.
Ladies and gentlemen, that’s one who doesn’t sure about his gender. Now
we’ll toss another bouquet as soon as we find a spare.”
I’m
not recovered from the shock of seeing that just now, when I see the
man goes away, practically whistling merrily and juggling the
ruined-to-the-stem bouquet, ignoring the angry stares and “boo”-s from
the guests.
Hey, I know that guy!
With
that thought I go after him. He goes into men’s room, and I go in there
too. And there I see him, washing his face with lots of water.
“Johnny? You’re Johnny, right?”
The man is indeed Johnny as he turns around and replies,
“Yeah? I’m Johnny, all right. Who’re you??”
“Don’t you remember me? I’m Sandy, your classmate in High School. Remember? Sandman? The skinny boy, the computer freak who preferred playing computer games than dating? Your old buddy!”
“Ah, yes, yes! I remember now. Wow-wee!
You look... different! I didn’t recognize you!” says Johnny, grabbing
my two hands warmly. But through his grip, I can feel that he is
shaking all over.
“And
you too, Johnny Boy. That’s what happened when we don’t grow taller
anymore – we grow broader. Hey, I think you’re shaking, man. What’s
going on? I mean, I saw you out there just now, man.”
“Oh, you did, didn’t you? Well, what do you think about that, huh? Are you thinking like them?”
“Well, er...
honestly, I was pretty shocked out there, man. That was really out of
the line. But I think you must’ve had your own reason.”
“You’re
right, Sandy. I was really out of control back then. I let my instincts
took me over. I was really irritated by that dumb M.C.
and his stupid rules. We live in a country where men may catch wedding
bouquets, right? So there I was, at the back of the row, just watching.
And swoosh! The bouquet landed in my hands anyway. And all of a sudden
the women were all over me, trying to snatch it from my hands. I thought,
I won’t ever let go of this! If they want a re-toss, just do it, I
don’t need the ring. Just give me the glory of catching the bouquet one
more time!”
“Wait, Jon. You said, ‘one more time?’ Does that mean you’ve caught another bouquet before?”
“Yup,
I have, four times already and so many attempts. And this one doesn’t
count,” says Johnny, casually takes the bouquet stem and throws it into
the trash can near the water taps.
“What? That’s... that’s amazing!”
“Yeah,
I know. It takes an awful lot of luck and determination to do that, but
for me, it’s fun. I should’ve applied for the world records, but as I
can’t supply ample proofs or recordings, I buried that thought.”
“But,
what made you catch bouquets? I mean, a lucky man only catch one or two
bouquets during their lifetime, but this is too much. This must be more
than just luck and fun.”
“You’re
right, Sandman. There’s something more. You see, I’m still a bachelor
now. I haven’t had any girlfriends until I was twenty-seven, and so far
I’ve had relationships with three women, but all ended in heartbreak.
And this time, I met this wonderful lady, and we are so close together.
I think she’s the one I want to marry as soon as possible. But another
problem arose. My business is in shambles now, and I’m afraid I wont’
be able to raise enough money to hold a decent wedding party. You know
wedding parties are very expensive here. Well, how about you, Sand?”
“Well,
I’m just like you – a bachelor with a wonderful girlfriend. I’m now
working as a lawyer in a small firm, and things are running smooth so
far.”
“Good for you, then. Where’s your girlfriend anyway? Is she with you?”
“Oh, she’s still at work now. I’ll pick her up after this party.”
“Mine
is with her parents in another wedding party. Well, I guess I’m a
little obsessed with this bouquet-catching thing. See my scar here? I
hurt my hand in my second catch, and I once sprained an ankle in my
fourth catch. The first and the third went rather smooth, really. You
see, every time I catch a bouquet or fail to do so, I pray to God,
hoping that I’ll find the right lady, have a relationship which will
last through marriage, and grow old together with her. Although things
are rough for me, I believe God will show me the way. And I won’t stop
looking for it. So, I catch wedding bouquets just to remind myself,
even if I’m in shambles, not to ever give up and keep on going. Forget
the superstitions, forget the traditions. I’ll keep working hard until
I don’t have to work anymore, and I’ll keep catching bouquets until I’m
married or not quite young anymore.”
It
feels like lightning strikes me. I cannot speak a word. Although he
knows that catching a bouquet won’t guarantee him to be the next to
marry among the guests here, but I’m convinced that to get what you
need, you mustn’t sit and wait, but act and strive for it.
“Hey, Sandman! Snap out of it!”
“Oh? Oh, yeah. Sorry, Jon!”
“Tell
you what, here’s my card. Call me anytime you want, maybe we can meet
and talk more often. I hope you’ll get married very soon.”
“Thanks.”
“Well, I must go now. There’s no point for me hanging out in here any longer. See you around, Sandman.”
“You take care, Johnny Boy.”
As I see my friend Johnny goes out from the men’s room and goes for home, I take out my cell phone and dial a number.
“Hi!
Yeah, Julie, are you free tomorrow night? Oh, it’s just I want to take
you for a night in the city. Oh, yes. Say, how about Empire Grille? Great. Just wear your best dress and we’ll make it a night to remember.”
Six months later....
“Hey, Julie, toss it to up-left, okay? Don’t toss too high or to far.”
“Okay, okay, honey. Want to make it easy for your old buddy, huh?”
“Well, he deserves an easy break today.”
“Okay, here goes the M.C. now.”
“Everybody ready? One, two... three!”
I
and Julie toss the bouquet together from the stage. It goes up-left as
planned, but it flies too high and too far away. Some men leap high to
catch it. The women can’t jump high because of their long dresses and
high-heel shoes. Finally one man who leaps the highest catches it. But
he loses his balance in mid-air and falls on the floor, still clutching
the bouquet tightly in his hands. He seems straining in pain.
“Ah, it’s Johnny! Is he okay?” I say.
“I hope so,” says Julie.
And then shortly we hear an announcement from the M.C., “May our lucky winner come to the stage now.”
Johnny the bouquet catcher walks up the stage limply, and the M.C. gives him the prize. Then I and Julie shake his hands to congratulate him.
“Congratulations, Johnny Boy. You did it again. What a superb catch. This is the fifth, I presume?”
“It’s the sixth, actually. But thanks for the prize.”
“Is your ankle okay? I hope you’re not injured.”
“Oh, that’s okay. Just a little pain, I guess. It’ll be gone in a minute.”
Then, out of curiosity, I ask Johnny, “How’s your girlfriend?”
“Oh,
she dumped me two weeks after we met in that chaotic catch and I’ve
been single ever since. But I assure you, I won’t stop catching
bouquets until I get married or too old for this. See you!”
Julie whispers on my ear after Johnny left the stage.
“It’s rather weird, really, being obsessed into bouquet-catching, but I hope he will find his soul mate soon.”
“Yes, good luck to you, Mr. Bouquet Catcher.”
Written by : Andry Chang
It’s a real boring wedding party I’m invited into. I came a bit late, and they already run out of food. The wedding singer is terrible, and I can only help myself with a few cakes and a glass of water. If it’s not my ex-classmate in High School’s wedding, I would have left for home at once. But, my friend, the groom practically “begged” me to stay for the photo session, so for the sake of our friendship I consented to stay.
“And now, if there’s any bachelors or anyone among the guests who are young and not married, please gather up because the ‘Bouquet Toss’ is about to begin,” says the M.C. “And you know the catch. The lucky catcher MIGHT be the first to marry after Leah and Herman here.”
Aha, excitement at last. Thank goodness I live in a country where men are allowed to catch wedding bouquets; else it’ll be a total drag, seeing only the girls having all the fun.
So I move forward near the cake, and join a group of young men and women already standing there, with their hopeful faces. And then the M.C. talks again through the microphone, “Well, I guess there are so many unmarried people here. To make things more interesting, the catcher of this lovely bouquet will also get a gift: this beautiful diamond ring. As this ring is designed for women, I must ask the gentlemen to leave the group – unless he’s not sure about his gender.”
The M.C.’s announcement is boo-ed by the men, and I among them. One by one, the men leave the group and stand at the back just to watch. The women are, of course, happier because they now have greater chances to catch the bouquet now the tall, strong men are gone.
“Herman, Leah, stand with your backs to the audience and throw backwards, not forward!”
The M.C. completes all the irritation in this party. He’s really pretty good in making idiots out of people.
“Okay, girls, ready! Bride and groom, on three, toss the bouquet! One, two... three!”
The bride and the groom toss the bouquet as high and as far as they can. The bouquet flies to the back of the group and some hands catch it. Then I see a commotion there, as though some people are fighting for the bouquet. But eventually I see who gets it. It’s a man! The girls are scolding at him.
One even mutters, “How shameless he is! He tripped me to get the bouquet!”
“He overpowered me! There’s no way I can beat him!”
The master of ceremony then announces with an upset tone, “Well, mister. I hope you’re satisfied now. You can go home with the bouquet stem. Ladies and gentlemen, that’s one who doesn’t sure about his gender. Now we’ll toss another bouquet as soon as we find a spare.”
I’m not recovered from the shock of seeing that just now, when I see the man goes away, practically whistling merrily and juggling the ruined-to-the-stem bouquet, ignoring the angry stares and “boo”-s from the guests.
Hey, I know that guy!
With that thought I go after him. He goes into men’s room, and I go in there too. And there I see him, washing his face with lots of water.
“Johnny? You’re Johnny, right?”
The man is indeed Johnny as he turns around and replies,
“Yeah? I’m Johnny, all right. Who’re you??”
“Don’t you remember me? I’m Sandy, your classmate in High School. Remember? Sandman? The skinny boy, the computer freak who preferred playing computer games than dating? Your old buddy!”
“Ah, yes, yes! I remember now. Wow-wee!
“And you too, Johnny Boy. That’s what happened when we don’t grow taller anymore – we grow broader. Hey, I think you’re shaking, man. What’s going on? I mean, I saw you out there just now, man.”
“Oh, you did, didn’t you? Well, what do you think about that, huh? Are you thinking like them?”
“Well, er... honestly, I was pretty shocked out there, man. That was really out of the line. But I think you must’ve had your own reason.”
“You’re right, Sandy. I was really out of control back then. I let my instincts took me over. I was really irritated by that dumb M.C. and his stupid rules. We live in a country where men may catch wedding bouquets, right? So there I was, at the back of the row, just watching. And swoosh! The bouquet landed in my hands anyway. And all of a sudden the women were all over me, trying to snatch it from my hands. I thought, I won’t ever let go of this! If they want a re-toss, just do it, I don’t need the ring. Just give me the glory of catching the bouquet one more time!”
“Wait, Jon. You said, ‘one more time?’ Does that mean you’ve caught another bouquet before?”
“Yup, I have, four times already and so many attempts. And this one doesn’t count,” says Johnny, casually takes the bouquet stem and throws it into the trash can near the water taps.
“What? That’s... that’s amazing!”
“Yeah, I know. It takes an awful lot of luck and determination to do that, but for me, it’s fun. I should’ve applied for the world records, but as I can’t supply ample proofs or recordings, I buried that thought.”
“But, what made you catch bouquets? I mean, a lucky man only catch one or two bouquets during their lifetime, but this is too much. This must be more than just luck and fun.”
“You’re right, Sandman. There’s something more. You see, I’m still a bachelor now. I haven’t had any girlfriends until I was twenty-seven, and so far I’ve had relationships with three women, but all ended in heartbreak. And this time, I met this wonderful lady, and we are so close together. I think she’s the one I want to marry as soon as possible. But another problem arose. My business is in shambles now, and I’m afraid I wont’ be able to raise enough money to hold a decent wedding party. You know wedding parties are very expensive here. Well, how about you, Sand?”
“Well, I’m just like you – a bachelor with a wonderful girlfriend. I’m now working as a lawyer in a small firm, and things are running smooth so far.”
“Good for you, then. Where’s your girlfriend anyway? Is she with you?”
“Oh, she’s still at work now. I’ll pick her up after this party.”
“Mine is with her parents in another wedding party. Well, I guess I’m a little obsessed with this bouquet-catching thing. See my scar here? I hurt my hand in my second catch, and I once sprained an ankle in my fourth catch. The first and the third went rather smooth, really. You see, every time I catch a bouquet or fail to do so, I pray to God, hoping that I’ll find the right lady, have a relationship which will last through marriage, and grow old together with her. Although things are rough for me, I believe God will show me the way. And I won’t stop looking for it. So, I catch wedding bouquets just to remind myself, even if I’m in shambles, not to ever give up and keep on going. Forget the superstitions, forget the traditions. I’ll keep working hard until I don’t have to work anymore, and I’ll keep catching bouquets until I’m married or not quite young anymore.”
It feels like lightning strikes me. I cannot speak a word. Although he knows that catching a bouquet won’t guarantee him to be the next to marry among the guests here, but I’m convinced that to get what you need, you mustn’t sit and wait, but act and strive for it.
“Hey, Sandman! Snap out of it!”
“Oh? Oh, yeah. Sorry, Jon!”
“Tell you what, here’s my card. Call me anytime you want, maybe we can meet and talk more often. I hope you’ll get married very soon.”
“Thanks.”
“Well, I must go now. There’s no point for me hanging out in here any longer. See you around, Sandman.”
“You take care, Johnny Boy.”
As I see my friend Johnny goes out from the men’s room and goes for home, I take out my cell phone and dial a number.
“Hi! Yeah, Julie, are you free tomorrow night? Oh, it’s just I want to take you for a night in the city. Oh, yes. Say, how about Empire Grille? Great. Just wear your best dress and we’ll make it a night to remember.”
Six months later....
“Hey, Julie, toss it to up-left, okay? Don’t toss too high or to far.”
“Okay, okay, honey. Want to make it easy for your old buddy, huh?”
“Well, he deserves an easy break today.”
“Okay, here goes the M.C. now.”
“Everybody ready? One, two... three!”
I and Julie toss the bouquet together from the stage. It goes up-left as planned, but it flies too high and too far away. Some men leap high to catch it. The women can’t jump high because of their long dresses and high-heel shoes. Finally one man who leaps the highest catches it. But he loses his balance in mid-air and falls on the floor, still clutching the bouquet tightly in his hands. He seems straining in pain.
“Ah, it’s Johnny! Is he okay?” I say.
“I hope so,” says Julie.
And then shortly we hear an announcement from the M.C., “May our lucky winner come to the stage now.”
Johnny the bouquet catcher walks up the stage limply, and the M.C. gives him the prize. Then I and Julie shake his hands to congratulate him.
“Congratulations, Johnny Boy. You did it again. What a superb catch. This is the fifth, I presume?”
“It’s the sixth, actually. But thanks for the prize.”
“Is your ankle okay? I hope you’re not injured.”
“Oh, that’s okay. Just a little pain, I guess. It’ll be gone in a minute.”
Then, out of curiosity, I ask Johnny, “How’s your girlfriend?”
“Oh, she dumped me two weeks after we met in that chaotic catch and I’ve been single ever since. But I assure you, I won’t stop catching bouquets until I get married or too old for this. See you!”
Julie whispers on my ear after Johnny left the stage.
“It’s rather weird, really, being obsessed into bouquet-catching, but I hope he will find his soul mate soon.”
“Yes, good luck to you, Mr. Bouquet Catcher.”
Written by : Andry Chang
